Juggling Followup

How could I be so remiss as to write about juggling and not mention the 60's hippie icon Wavy Gravy. A post today on the Hippie Christian Bulletin Board caused me to realize my faux-pa. One sister's post about Wavy Gravy brought up a good observation...

"My grandfathers claimed to know Jesus yet their life did not reflect the love that does this man's life. Perhaps they don't know Jesus as much as they think, and just maybe he knows Jesus more than he realizes."

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Fair Use Notice

All You Need To Know To Develop Amazing Juggling Skills

That is the sub-title of a book I spotted at a local store marked down for clearance, it is hard for me to pass up a bargain. The step-by-step book came complete with three colorful balls to get me started on my journey to the circus. I have never been very coordinated, especially with round objects that require any degree of throwing and catching skills. I usually end up with either a face full of ball or having to chase the elusive round object that had somehow passed right through my hands.

I have always been fascinated by juggling and I have a hard time passing up an item on sale so I bought the book. I have spent more time picking up the little multi-colored balls than I have spent catching them, so from time to time I put the book away allowing my back to rest from recovering the colorful orbs.

One of the more important tips for juggling is learning where to look while tossing the balls. This is the hardest thing for me to master at this time because it involves NOT looking at the objects that I am attempting to juggle, but rather looking UP. I read that I am not to keep my eyes on the object but they are to be focused upward and I am not looking at my hands either but having faith that the balls will return to my hands only long enough to release them again.

The spiritual lesson for me is threefold...

First: Keep my eyes focused heavenward where my help comes from and not focused on my current situation. I am to look to the heights that my situation can soar to and not the lowest point. Being focused upward forces me to not worry about being in the depths of despair.

Second: Don't focus on my hands (my own strength) it will only mess me up. If I am concerned with how I will do it then I am not having faith that Father is in control. If I am looking at my hands then I am worrying about how I will get hold of the situation rather that how I will release it upward to God again.

Third: Even though situations may end up in my hands again they are to be released upward to Father on a continuing cycle. I am through prayer and conscience effort tossing to God everything that lands in my hands. He allows them to be there long enough for me to give them back to Him. If I hold on to them my hands get too full to do anything else productive. If I let them drop to the floor then my hands are empty and idle, uninvolved with the Father's work.

"...look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near...” -Jesus (Luke 21:28)

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Memorial Day

Anonther Memorial Day... and according to an Associated Press story "Nearly 1,000 American troops have been killed in Iraq since last Memorial Day, and that number is expected to rise."

Read my Memorial Day post from last year... Today I Fly The Flag

Keep praying for our leaders...
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Bush Warned of Iraq Challenges

Here is the biggest "I told you so" that I have heard in a long time... Bush was twice warned of Iraq challenges

From the Los Angeles Times

Prewar reports alerted the president to the difficulty of establishing democracy, among other assessments that proved accurate. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), said the report demonstrated that "the intelligence community gave the administration plenty of warning about the difficulties we would face if the decision was made to go to war." He added: "These dire warnings were widely distributed at the highest levels of government, and it's clear that the administration didn't plan for any of them."

Too bad our President didn't heed this proverb...

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Jesus Loves You So Much...

Peace, Love, and Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

The Draft

I remember registering for the draft during the Vietnam War. I registered as a CO (Conscientious Objector) but didn't have anyone to tell me how to prove my status as a CO. The local Selective Service System Board didn't offer me any advice on how to file a CO claim (surprised?). No, instead they were kind enough to issue me a draft card with my classification of 1-A and my "Random Sequence Number" 077. Can you say cannon fodder? I know you can! For those of you too young to know what the heck I am talking about check out the Selective Service System web site...

Selective Service System - The Vietnam Lotteries

Thank God Nixon was brining our brave men & women home so I never had to go through the process of proving my claim. I still have my draft card, I keep it as a reminder of the insanity of that day.

Now you might ask how I came to the conclusion that I was a Conscientious Objector. As a young long hair hippie Jesus freak I couldn't reconcile the mandate to spread the Gospel and killing. How could I point a weapon at someone I was commanded to share the good news of God's love with and then send him on his way to eternity with a few rounds of 5.56mm fired from my government issued Colt M-16 rifle? "Hi, I am a Christian and God loves you so much that he has a plan for your life. Have you heard of the 4 spiritual laws? Oh, by the way I am here to kill you." BANG!

This didn't mean that I wouldn't have served my country. There is an Alternative Service Program that allows COs to work in noncombat - nonmilitary jobs and I was more than willing to serve in that program.

If you need help registering as a Conscientious Objector please check out these web sites before they start up the draft...

Selective Service System - Conscientious Objection

The Center on Conscience and War

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Fourth Anniversary Of The War

On Saturday my granddaughter and I went to a local peace rally, not the first and sad to say most likely not my last. We ran into a church group handing out cold soft drinks and helped them until they ran out of sodas.

There was a lot of excitement about the large turnout, but I couldn't help but think how sad that here we are protesting the war - again! Well it's been four years of the same old stuff that I remember being served up on the 6 o'clock news forty years ago.

War always sounds good at the outset when we are told of the good and noble cause that rallies the troops to serve... then the realities set in, the photos of the destruction hit our doorstep in the morning paper and the flag draped boxes start coming home.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 
(1Timothy 2:1-2)

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Today I Fly The Flag

Today is Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. I have many mixed emotions regarding war, as would any thinking human being, yet this doesn't take away from my gratitude towards those who have given their lives to protect our freedom. So today I fly the flag.

There are many wonderful things about our country to be proud of, there are also things that we as a nation need to work to change. The United States isn't perfect, there is no way that it could be because we live in an imperfect world, inhabited by imperfect beings. But I would venture to say that it is one of the best countries to live in on this spinning ball. So today I fly the flag.

Today I fly the flag in memory of those who served our nation, as flawed as it may be, because with out those who have gone before us we would be living in a much different country. But I also am going to pray for our leaders and the leaders of all the nations that we might be able to live in a more peaceful world, so that we might not have to honor any more fallen soldiers.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

So today I fly the flag, and I pray!

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Day By Day

Over Easter weekend I put Godspell into the DVD player to watch with the family. A remarkable thing occurred while we were watching this film version of the Broadway hit, our grand-daughter was crawling around the living room doing the usual things that babies do until Robin Lamont began to sing "Day By Day", that 9 month old stopped everything she was doing and went straight over to the television to watch and listen to the song. We thought this was so cool because Day By Day was such a hit back in the 70's and my wife and I just love it, but the amazing thing is that I have played the movie two more times and with out fail our little princess makes a bee line to the TV and is totally fixated during this one song.

Day By Day
by Stephen Schwartz

Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day

...well as they say "out of the mouth of babes"

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Fair Use Notice

Happy Resurrection Day!

Paul asks the believers in Corinth to logically assess some challenges made to the resurrection of Jesus.

"Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there's no resurrection, there's no living Christ. And face it--if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ--sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection.

If corpses can't be raised, then Christ wasn't, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ wasn't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It's even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they're already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we're a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries." (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)
(The Message © by Eugene H. Peterson)

Of all the teachings in the Bible the resurrection of Jesus the Christ stands out as one of the most important and at the same time one of the more difficult for those outside of the Family to accept. The resurrection is the one teaching that separates Christianity from all other religions, it sets Jesus apart from every great teacher, prophet, and holy man ever to walk the earth.

I think the most compelling proof of Christ's resurrection is the willingness of his followers to die for their testimony of being eyewitnesses to the resurrection.

"If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we're a pretty sorry lot."

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Oh, did I mention that I have Irish roots? My great grandparents were born in Ireland in the mid 1800's and immigrated to the USA around 1887.

Read about The St. Patrick You Never Knew.

Find Celtic crosses like the one above on the Aon Celtic Art Website.

I love this...

Christ shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me

~Saint Patrick, from his breastplate

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!
Kevin (Cloud)

Meth Madness

There is a local tabloid distributed for free here in paradise that has a history of being quite a bit left of center on most issues. This week's cover story may have pushed them off the charts this time. The local rag did a piece on methamphetamine, but for some reason they made the editorial decision to publish the recipe along with step-by-step instructions to produce meth. True, this info most likely is available on the internet, but what an reckless and irresponsible thing to do!

Why would this widely read tabloid publish in great detail the steps of meth production? Their sister publication in the next county also has a cover story on the same subject that is much more informative about the dangers of meth use and a much better use of paper and ink! Meth is no light subject for me. This wasn't a recipe for Alice B. Tokeless brownies, this is a recipe for the poison that is killing members of my family! I have seen this drug slowly destroy my loved ones and they have the nerve to publish the recipe with only a tongue and cheek caveat about the dangers of meth use. What were they thinking?

I have to wonder how many of their advertisers are rethinking their contracts with this popular tabloid? I sent the reporter and her editor an e-mail in hopes that they would correct this grave misuse of their position in our community as a source of news and information by publishing a series of articles to raise awareness about the dangers of meth use. I have not received any response yet. The local news talk radio program has spent the last two days taking calls from outraged listeners throughout the county, boy are there a lot of pissed-off folks out there!

You should check out the Mothers Against Methamphetamine web site at www.mamasite.net for the truth about meth from a medical doctor who lost her brother to this dangerous drug.

Peace, Love, and Light through Jesus the Christ!

Kevin (Cloud)

Photo: DOJ